Rainy Days
by reminiscent-afterthought
Summary: He never did like rainy days. Because he wasn't the type of guy who liked to sit around. 10 drabbles focused on Takuya.
1. Waiting out the Weather

**Author's Notes**

Another drabble collection, this time focusing on Takuya. Though the title is Rainy Days, it is not always necessarily taken literally, so bear that in mind. It may at times be quite figurative.

10 drabbles in here, so here's the first.

Enjoy.

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**Rainy Days**

He never did like rainy days. Because he wasn't the type of guy who liked to sit around.

Takuya K

Genre/s: Family/Friendship

Rating: K+

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**1 – Waiting out the Weather**

He paced nervously around the hospital room, awaiting news, any news, though preferably good, on his friend's condition. _Their_ friend, though only he and Kouji remained. Despite their protests, Tomoki, Izumi and Junpei were taken home minutes after the nurse at the reception had informed their parents of their presence, deemed unnecessary by the doctor who was now observing their sixth member.

'You may visit your friend tomorrow,' he said strictly. 'Family only tonight, and _no-one_ will be seeing him until his condition stabilises and we're sure he's out of danger.'

Suffice to say, the protests fell on deaf ears. After all, one did not spend nineteen years in the profession without knowing how to deal with persistence.

Takuya's parents were on their way, his mother having waited for his father to arrive home, unwilling to leave Shinya alone and unwilling to take him with her.

And Kouji was family. So of course he stayed. Not to mention he had adamantly placed his foot down when his father had suggested the very thing.

The brunette could not blame the other, nor could he fault the others for wanting to stay, although neither their parents, nor the strict receptionist, following instructions, would hear of it. While the worst of it all was over; Lucemon had been defeated, and Kouichi, though clinically dead for a few precious minutes, had been alive when they saw last.

But his condition was still unstable, so although the storm had dwindled, it was still overcast.

And he loathed the wait. But he had to, for more reasons than one.

So he, along with Kouji, his father, stepmother and Kouichi's mother, were all waiting anxiously on the other's condition. As they had for the past fifteen minutes, though that time, to those waiting, felt far longer.

It was awkward, to say the least, and it made Takuya for all means and purposes feel like the fifth wheel. Minamoto Kousei and Kimura Tomoko were yet to exchange words further than a cordial greeting, and while Satomi comforted the other woman, Kouji seemed torn between anger at his father and longing for his birthmother.

Needless to say, Takuya did not fit into that little situation.

So he was quite thankful when his mother turned up soonafter, sweeping him into a hug while simultaneously smothering him in worry.

'Oh I was so worried,' she murmured into his hair. 'When the hospital called, I thought-'

'I'm fine 'kaa-san,' Takuya replied, somewhat muffled because he was pressed against his mother's chest. 'I wasn't the one hurt.'

'Oh, your friend.' She pulled away slightly, turning to look at the emergency room. 'Is he okay?'

She asked the room at large, so it was open to reply. Ultimately, it was Satomi, an arm still around Tomoko, who answered. 'There still hasn't any news,' she said quietly.

'Well...I'm sorry.' she sighed heavily. 'I guess we'd better go then.'

But as fate would have it, the doctor emerged before they made it to the exit.

'He's fine. There was a minor concussion, but no lasting brain damage, and nothing worse than a few bruises from his tumble down the stairs.'

And there was the silver light shining down on him, knowing that all those involved in the battle for both worlds had made it out alive, and in one piece.

After all, he couldn't deny he had been scared, and the anxiety had simply mounted as the waiting was prolonged.

But now the wait was over, and it was worth it. Lucemon was gone, Kouichi was fine, and the sun was free to rise on a new day. A new wind whistled to lead him towards a new adventure as the cloak of darkness settled upon the old with the setting sun, calling, waiting...

He let a wide smile spread on his face and his mother to escort him to the family car.


	2. Can't Sit Still

**Rainy Days**

He never did like rainy days. Because he wasn't the type of guy who liked to sit around.

Takuya K

Rating: K+

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**2 – Can't Sit Still**

It was overcast, but as it was yet to rain, he was under no obligation to remain indoors, the house doing little, in all honesty, to accommodate his restlessness.

It was one of those times he wished his brother was home, even if it meant an inevitable brotherly quarrel would eventually break loose amidst the video games, or the occasional board game they resorted to when they were _extremely_ board.

He supposed he could have taken on the newest challenge on FFVII, but he fathomed boredom would come in haste. Better, he thought, to save that for when it _actually_ began to rain.

If it did. After all, the sky could clear up.

Outside, there was much more to do. Soccer for one; a group of familiar boys were generally at the park at this time of day, assuming of course that the dreary weather had not confined them to their own houses. Then there was basketball, in his opinion, not as good as soccer but not a bad substitute, then baseball and numerous other extraneous sports.

Of course, he could go visit his friends; even if Junpei and Kouichi were not usually home at this time and Tomoki was most certainly not, Izumi may be, unless one of her new friends had dragged her shopping, and Kouji would most certainly be. Unless of course something out of the ordinary had occurred to break his rather predictable routine.

And then he could wander through the streets, looking for new places, new pictures...if he hadn't known his neighbourhood like the back of his hand.

He thought for a moment, then decided: soccer. If no soccer, then Kouji's place.

Personally, he was hoping for the soccer; Kouji would not be entirely happy at being interrupted.

Unfortunately, once jacket was on, ball tucked under his arm and his sneakered feet had dutifully carried him to the park, normally filled with active kids, he was met, not by his soccer associates or any other child willing to play, but the first few droplets of a beginning monsoon.

_Shoot..._he thought. He had forgotten his umbrella.

And he was too far from his house now to make it in time.

The next option then, he supposed. Kouji's house, which luckily wasn't too far from the park.

Only, by the time he had made it to the Minamoto residence, the rain had intensified, and he was soaked through.

'Lack of foresight,' the bandana-wearing boy quipped, when he opened the door.

'Shut up,' the other muttered. 'This is why I hate the rain.'

'You could just read quietly,' Kouichi suggested from behind his twin. 'Or draw.'

Well, at least he had been right about that one.

'Oh come on Ni-san.' Kouji uncharacteristically let out a bark of laughter. 'You know he can't stand having to sit around.'

'That's true...'

Takuya didn't even bother to deny it.


	3. Drained with the Rainwater

**Author's Notes**

Based of the last episode of Frontier, subbed version. So the dialogue does not belong to me. Nor does any events. Just the commentary.

Enjoy.

* * *

**Rainy Days**

He never did like rainy days. Because he wasn't the type of guy who liked to sit around.

Takuya K

Rating: K+

* * *

**3 – Drained with the Rainwater**

He forced himself to his feet, only to face the elevator which had suddenly fallen.

'The elevator? It can't be-?'

He looked up, seeing the portal Lucemon had created with the bridge of digi-code. A portal which led to their world, their _home._

And Lucemon...

'Lucemon's already in the human world!'

On instinct, he forced out his code, allowing the ring to circle his hand. He had to stop the Demon Lord, he just _had_ to, before they lost anything, or anyone else. Like all the digimon that had sacrificed themselves for their success, for all the innocents simply caught in the crossfire, for the land which was nothing but an interconnected system of Trailmon tracks...and for Kouichi, whom they could not save even with the rest of the world.

Because he was more than data. And data alone could be restored.

He moved to swipe his data through the D-scanner, only to be stopped by Kouji.

'Don't be so reckless!'

He protested. Kouji of all people should have known how he felt.

But then the two made eye contact, and he understood. He did know; he just wasn't prepared to rush into death without hope.

'Remember, that guy is invulnerable.'

'Invulnerable...'

After all, who was?

'That's right.' He gritted his teeth in annoyance and slight defeat. 'That guy _is_ invulnerable.'

'No matter what kind of damage we dealt, he just healed it right away.'

It was true. They all saw.

'That guy is...invulnerable...'

It was draining away whatever hope remained. That concept of invulnerability.

'But Susanoomon will come again and beat him, eh?'

If only...

'Bakamon! A miracle won't happen so quickly!'

A miracle...it was what they needed, and yet, with death and defeat weighing over their heads, it felt like hope for any such thing had drained with the residual rainwater.

He closed his eyes. 'A miracle...won't happen-! Dammit.'

Kouji let go of him in surprise as he moved away. Towards the elevator. The symbol of their failure. The proof that Lucemon was raging havoc on their world...and they couldn't stop it. The proof of a broken promise.

'_Please...protect our world.'_

He rested his palms on the contraction, his voice choking as he continued. 'I...what the hell were we Chosen for?'

He pushed against the metal surface, but it easily resisted, like their efforts to save the world had been tossed aside by their nemesis.

'We can't save the Digital World!'

The empty sphere and occasional crossing track were proof of that.

His D-scanner fell from his hands

'We weren't able to do anything!'

So much destruction, so many lives lost. And they had simply stood by and watched. Because they had been powerless...then, and now.

He pushed harder, limbs shaking with the effort, and added the additional lever of his own head as he squeezed his eyes shut and spoke again.

'This was all a waste...all for nothing!'

All the effort they had put in, all the code they had rendered, all the friends they had made...and the families they had patched up. In the end, it hadn't mattered, because they were all destroyed...even the ones close to home.

'We've made it up to now with the spirits of the Ten Warriors! And the Digital World-and now the human world too-!'

The others stood in silence, not knowing what to say or do.

'We can't even save one little thing!'

Because there was no hope left for the worlds. Or for them.

He sank to his knees, still straining against the contraption.

'One little thing...'

'You shouldn't blame yourselves...' Bokomon muttered sadly. 'You've done well...so stop.'

'No!' he burst out, tears forming. The downpour which would wipe out all else. 'I'm...not...NO!'

The tears fell. But not the washing away of hope as they thought, but rather the bringer thereof.

Because while the river of death flows free, so does that of life.

'You have to see why Takuya.'

With your friends by your side, it's not so hard to refill a drained dam.


	4. Umbrella Overhead

Sorry it's short. Enjoy.

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**Rainy Days**

He never did like rainy days. Because he wasn't the type of guy who liked to sit around.

Takuya K

Rating: K+

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**4 – Umbrella Overhead**

He wondered around, letting the anger and embedded jealousy stew like a waiting storm. At times like that, it appeared as though it was always Shinya that was favoured, the little brother who always got his way while the elder was blamed.

It just wasn't fair. Though afterwards, when his brother complained of the same unfairness and he had matured enough to listen, he would realise that the same storm brewed in them as well.

In a way, the world wasn't fair. Either that, or the view thereof was unfair.

And the clouds that hung over the world, blocking out the sun.

And the rain as the dams suddenly broke.

He looked up, just as the downpour thundered upon him. 'Great,' he muttered. Now he was going to get soaked and sick as well. 'This is just great.'

Especially since his temper and storm of emotion had dumped him in that particular situation.

But the rain was somewhat soothing, washing away the anger, the jealousy, the unfairness...

Maybe he should go home. Maybe he should let his brother play. Maybe...

He turned a corner and saw his brother, an umbrella protecting him while another in his hands. _His_ umbrella. His brother had come out in the rain to bring it to him.

Shinya flinched away, but he came, and the two met on the rain-soaked pavement, with the single umbrella overhead, blocking out the storm as they made their way back home.

And as the two brothers chased after the newest pixel enemy together, the elder cheering the younger on, the umbrella dripped dry on the grass as the sky brightened.

Until the next time the storm came.


	5. Sheltered Childhood

Another short one, but this one kinda had to be. Enjoy.

* * *

**Rainy Days**

He never did like rainy days. Because he wasn't the type of guy who liked to sit around.

Takuya K

Rating: K+

* * *

**5 – Sheltered Childhood**

He realised he never truly appreciated his upbringing until he was suddenly removed from its influence in the digital world, left to his own devices and what he had learnt in the eleven years his parents had raised him. Sure, his parents were strict, and occasionally unfair at times, but then again, what parent's weren't, each striving to look after their children in their own way.

He was their first; of course they were going to make more mistakes with him than they did with his little brother. He made mistake after mistake at first when the spirit of flame was put into his grasp as a heated weapon. In his inexperience, it was a miracle that nothing worse happened than a slashed open back, but as they say, only with experience does the cup fill.

So why should that principle not apply to all else in life? Including the way a parent raises their child?

Sure, they were strict. But they wanted to protect him. That was something that was hard to understand in all its perceived unfairness till real life pretty much slammed itself into one's gut. The painful awakening when you see what life and death really are, and the things in the world which you were kept safe from by one's parents is what finally leads them to that true understanding.

For him, it came a little earlier than most. That didn't mean however that the lessons were any more profound.

After all, sheltering a child forever is like burying the sun beneath the night. Sooner or later, it will rise.

Then all a parent can do for their child is trust them, and let them out into the world. After all, their growth and maturation is inevitable, and one day they will look back and remember. Hopefully, not with regret.


	6. Claps of Thunder

**Author's Notes**

Please don't ask about the heading. I don't know where it came from. But we're back to the slightly longer chapters now.

And I still can't write a full length chapter (for me that's four pages plus). I really need to get out of this slump, I was hoping to have more stories finished before uni opens.

Well...I've passed the half mark at least.

Enjoy, and tell me what you think.

* * *

**Rainy Days**

He never did like rainy days. Because he wasn't the type of guy who liked to sit around.

Takuya K

Rating: K+

* * *

**6 – Claps of Thunder**

He calmly lay on his stomach, feeling the soft couch beneath him while his head rested on his arms and legs on the armrest while waiting for the others. It was rather peaceful, simply watching the clouds roll past, but it was also rather boring. The only reason he was in that position was because he couldn't be bothered doing anything during the annoying waiting period that _always_ resulted before anything significant.

Of course, the timely knock on the door interrupted the relative peace. Just as he enjoyed it.

Moments later, light footsteps entered, let in by his mother, before someone lightly kicked his ribs.

'Not very hospitable, are you?' Kouji's amused voice reached his ear.

'Shut up,' he grumbled, though good-naturedly. 'I'm no door-waiter.'

He rolled over onto his back in time to see the bandana-wearing boy roll his eyes, but was saved the usual banter that followed when the door opened and closed again, announcing another arrival: Tomoki.

'Hiya,' he chirped, bouncing in excitedly, orange hat holding his bangs out of his eyes and holding out a parcel. ''kaa-san made us cake for desert.'

'I'll take that,' Yuriko said, coming into the room and taking the offered parcel, before fixating a critical eye on her son. 'If I leave it here, there will _be _no desert.'

'True enough,' Takuya mumbled, missing the unmistakable noise of another arrival. 'The way Junpei and Izumi eat, we'd be lucky to get some-'

'I heard that,' Izumi yelled from the entrance hall, before her own light footsteps entered.

'Oops,' the older brunette said sheepishly, being stared down by the ferocious blonde while Kouji chucked from the sidelines. 'Yeah, laugh it up bandana boy,' he muttered as an afterthought, seeing as the other had been thinking the same thing, however had been wise enough not to say it.

Or perhaps not quick enough. Either one worked in retrospect.

'Calm down Izumi,' Junpei soothed, placing a hand on her shoulder, before turning to roll his eyes at Takuya, who had somewhere in the transition, sat up. 'You really should know better than that.'

'Yeah, I should,' Takuya sheepishly responded, running a hand through his wild hair. 'I just always forget.'

With five of the six now there, they accommodated chosen places in the Kanbara's living room, striking up a conversation which led everywhere from the Izumi vs. Takuya war to Neemon's pants.

And then arguing about the pizza toppings when it came to dinner.

It took several minutes going back and forth between the five to sort out what toppings to get in the end, and the ensuring argument was eventually ended when Yuriko, fed up with the disturbance, threatened them all with the overgrowing garden if the issue wasn't resolved within the next minute.

Of course, they also had to make allowances for their late member, which was not usually the case.

However, arguing about trivial things like pizza toppings was.

The best friends he could ever ask for...ironic how large a storm they brewed. But despite that, those storms were ones he wouldn't trade for the world.

Because the bright sun shining through made it all worth it.

The doorbell rang a few minutes later, and his mother answered it, hovering strictly longer than necessary to pay the delivery boy and take the pizzas. The 'why' was answered however when Kouichi, shrugging off a wet jacket, followed the auburn haired woman into the room, looking relieved to be out of the outside rain.

'It just had to start raining the second I got out of the station,' he muttered irritably, gratefully accepting the towel and proceeding to rub his hair dry.

The others were grateful they had made it before the rain. Except Takuya of course, who was grateful he didn't have to step foot outside the house-

'Takuya,' Yuriko yelled from the kitchen. 'Empty the bins.'

'Can't I wait till the rain stops!' the said boy wailed. No way did he want to be assaulted by all that water.


	7. Flooding Dams

**Rainy Days**

He never did like rainy days. Because he wasn't the type of guy who liked to sit around.

Takuya K

Rating: K+

* * *

**7 – Flooding Dams**

The first time he was away from home for so long, he didn't cry. Sure, he was homesick, to an extent, but he allowed him to enjoy the once in a lifetime experience. The new friends, the camping out, the leading, and the lack of rules and other pressing matters of the real world.

When he watched his friends been beaten down due to his own failure, watched one take the near-fatal hit which was _meant_ to have been for him, he didn't cry. Sure, he was down, even to the extent to being depressed in a sense, giving up and trudging home while bringing with him the fear of Duskmon's shadow.

All those times he nearly died (and when he thought about it, there were quite a few), he didn't shed a single tear. When he pushed his body out of the way of the oncoming truck (literally), when Duskmon's sword almost took his head, when Dynasmon almost throttled him, when Lucemon scanned a part of his data and almost it all, when Mercurymon almost stuffed him into that coffin of his...and the list goes on.

He didn't cry all those times they failed to save those innocent Digimon. He didn't cry when he watched one of his best friends vanish into fractal code before his eyes. He didn't cry when he received the words that he may still be alive...nor when he saw the still body on the operating table. No, that honour was for his brother alone.

But when those blue eyes opened, and the heart monitor beside them beeped to life, he cried. But they weren't tears of sadness, of guilt, or of pain. They were tears of joy. Tears washing away the residue of hurt and clearing the way for the rising sun.

It was a good thing the others were all crying too, otherwise he would have found that quite embarrassing later on. After all, that was probably one of the only times he had cried since his diaper days.


	8. Shelter Stranded

**Rainy Days**

He never did like rainy days. Because he wasn't the type of guy who liked to sit around.

Takuya K

Rating: K+

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**8 – Shelter Stranded**

'Aargh. Why did the stupid bus have to be late?'

Takuya was, understandably, in a bad mood. And not all of it was because of the late transport. After all, detention, the brief scuffle that had led to it (and one says brief because it was quickly halted by the teacher on duty) the downpour that greeted him after exiting the said detention all contributed. And of course the large pile of homework in his backpack just waiting to be completed.

And the late bus was just the icing on the cake. So to speak.

Well...maybe if the cake would cause him to break out in hives. Or throw up his lunch. Or something else along those lines.

Hmm...wonder how the icing would taste in that situation?

...you know what? Never mind. Moving on...

Another peddle skidded along the wet pavement, as the brunette huddled miserably under the small shelter, completely and utterly alone. Heck, even the birds were no-where to be found. The sky was miserably grey, and the streets washed clear. Nothing to look at, nothing to think about. Nothing to hold his attention span for more than five seconds. And he couldn't exactly take something out from his bag, or even fiddle around with the soccer ball soaking in his arms, without getting soaked himself. Or rather, any more soaked than he already was.

And he had left his umbrella at home, expecting the sun to shine bright all day long. And the baseball cap was doing little to keep his head dry; after all, it was raining cats and dogs.

He sighed as the rain began to fall harder, scrunching his nose a little. Apparently a cold was coming on.

Never had the distinct rumble of the dysfunctional engine sounded like such a blessing.


	9. Two Suns on the Same Page

**Rainy Days**

He never did like rainy days. Because he wasn't the type of guy who liked to sit around.

Takuya K

Rating: K+

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**9 – Two Suns on the Same Page**

He supposed he was simply used to being an only child at four, because he suddenly found himself wishing he wasn't about to get little brother. His parents were all smiles of course; Yuriko was positively beaming as she announced the news and Hiroaki immediately falling into protective husband mode. Takuya though, he saw how the attention had shifted from his latest sticker in a blink of an eye...and he didn't want to share that attention with a sibling.

His parents of course explained that the unequal distribution in attention was only temporary; once the baby was born and healthy, things would go back to the way they were.

But when Shinya was born, he wailed and cried and was essentially the handful all newborns are. And the elder Kanbara child, now five years of age, found himself almost always in the way as the baby's needs overshadowed his own.

He could resent his brother for that, but at times he would, either guiltily or because of boredom, wonder over to the crib, and the little fingers would curl around his much larger one, and a smile would crack out on both brothers' faces.

And he would let a smile stretch over his own as well. Perhaps two suns really could exist on the same page and both shine.

But as soon as he would remove his finger, the other would wail and cry, and his mother (or father) would come running. And he would get blamed (though it was partially his fault).

And the more things changed as they grew older, the more they stayed the same. Only then...it went both ways.


	10. Snow Angel

And that's the end. Not one of my best fics, but for some reason, the ideas just weren't flowing.

Anywho, enjoy.

* * *

**Rainy Days**

He never did like rainy days. Because he wasn't the type of guy who liked to sit around.

Takuya K

Rating: K+

* * *

**10 – Snow Angel**

'Aargh, why did it have to rain?' Takuya complained, grumbling at the closed window and the sheets of water that assaulted it.

'Stop complaining Ni-san,' Shinya replied automatically, barely looking up from the game of Super Mario with Tomoki.

'But I can't stop complaining,' the elder Kanbara yelled dramatically. 'Anything would be better than this. Sunshine, show...damn, I'd even settle for hail.'

The two on the floor ignored him, as did Yutaka, absorbed in a novel. Out of the four, the goggle-wearing brunette restlessly pacing appeared to be the only one incapable of staying indoors when weather didn't admit outside endeavours.

And there was no way he was going to sit down and do homework on the first day of winter break. And with Tomoki absorbed with Shinya and the elder Himi with his book, he was really wishing for a change in situation. Whether that be someone braving the heavy rain and arriving at the doorstep, something good coming on TV (at the moment, a dud), or best of all, a change in the weather.

And he was wishing for this so desperately that the instant the first snow flake fell from the sky, he thought he was hallucinating.

But the sudden cheers as Mario was left to die proved him wrong, and the two nine year olds began talking at once while Takuya dug out snow appropriate clothes from the Kanbara's closet.

'Snowball fight!'

'Snowman first.'

'How about a show ort. We'll need that.'

'Hey,' Takuya called, voice slightly muffled by the clothes in his arms and the hint of a smirk in his tonne. 'Remember the tradition.'

Shinya grinned. 'Of course,' he replied, just as excited. 'Snow angels first.'

'Wont the get trampled?' the ex-warrior of ice asked.

The two brothers shrugged. 'That's kinda the point. Something about 'kaa-san and 'tou-san's first date.'

'You do realise,' Yutaka began, looking up from his book finally. 'That you'll have to wait a good few hours before the snow is deep enough.'

There was a pregnant pause, before a chorus of groans followed.

Oh well...at least it wasn't rain this time.


End file.
